The White Cliffs of Dover and Calais Bunkers

The other day we drove from Goes to Calais, caught a ferry to Dover and stayed the night in Dover. Calais is 2 1/2 hours from Goes, Netherlands by car and because Goes is located on a peninsula we traveled under the Westerschelde Estuary via a 6600 meter tunnel which ends at Terneuzen.  Terneuzen is still the Netherlands. This transition seems strange to me because my assumption is that political boundaries coincide with natural features like rivers and mountain ranges. However the Belgium border does not coincide with the Westerschelde. I understand that this boundary is complicated due to the Holy Roman Empire, the Spanish and French occupation of the Netherlands and Flanders. 

Beach at Calais

As foot passengers on the ferry we lazily moved from the docks of Calais along beautiful beaches with summer sunbathers toward the harbor mouth. The spell was broken by the strange juxtaposition of WWII bunkers dotting the coastline and we were reminded of the great struggle that took place on these Normandy beaches so many years ago. 

One and one half hours later, the White Cliffs of Dover emerged on the horizon after the English Channel crossing in beautiful sunshine.  The White Cliffs really are as iconic as one imagines. Shakespeare's 'King Lear' mentions them "There is a cliff, whose high and bending head looks fearfully in the confined deep: Bring me but to the very brim of it" 

White Cliffs of Dover

Geologically speaking the White Cliffs are made of chalk. Formed from plankton they accumulated around 145.5 to 65.5 million years ago during the Cretaceous Period. At that time this part of Europe was underwater and similar cliffs exist across the channel in France called Cap Blank Nez. 

As it turns out my husband Tom's Grandmother was from Dover and his Grandfather's family was from Colchester approximately 20 km north of Dover. It is interesting that though they were from such nearby villages they met in Venezuela. It was a great adventure for Tom. 

One of the highlights was enjoying several pints and a steak and ale pie at a pub. Tom was very happy.  We also had fish and chips!

Tom enjoying a pint in Whitfield

We visited Dover Castle and walked about 2 miles unexpectedly through green fields with sheep peacefully grazing under blue skies. Dover Castle is well... very castle like and it has working fireplaces. 

Dover Castle

Learning about Calais in history class is very different than actually being there. It is very moving to see the downtown which no longer has a medieval character all sacrificed for "Operation Dynamo". Only the old church bell tower remains in the square.  It really got me thinking about a world that my own parents grew up in. 

Market Square Calais with remains of the Church Bell Tower

We ended our visit at Dunkirk. Today there is a museum, a monument and it is unexpectedly quiet. Little kids drive go karts and families bike along the boardwalk. The city of Dunkirk like Calais shows WWII architectural scars. The homes though they are next to one another appear centuries apart in age. Providing a vivid reminder that one building was destroyed and its neighbor was not.